Ghost Whisperer
by Lady-of-Nolava
Summary: The police now knew abot Suze's abilities. Suze is married to Jesse, and they're in their twenties. What happens why loads of people die, and refuse to leave? It spells pure 'chaos'.
1. Chapter 1

Ghost Whisperer

Susannah Simon—the sassiest ghost hunter ever!

"Are you a psychic?" the police officer asked.

"No, sir. Psychics see the future," I said.

"And you see…?" the police officer pressed.

"The dead, sir."

Susannah Simon is a mediator, has been since she was two.

She helps ghosts move on to heaven, hell, or whatever.

What happens when a plane crashes, and all the ghosts, more than three hundred of them, stays in California and refuses to leave, and take out their fury on the living?

Can Suze persuade them to leave?

And what if a mysterious guy offers them a chance to live on earth if they promises to do his bidding? When Suze wants to negotiate, he wants her soul in exchange for theirs.

Will Suze do it? Is she…

The One?


	2. Chapter 2

One

I added the finishing touches to the dinner that I cooked an hour earlier (yes, I, Susannah Simon, ghost-buster/fashion extraordinaire, can cook. Andy had taught me) and waited for Jesse to come home. He was working as a doctor, and he was called away for an emergency today.

I sighed. He might likely be away the whole evening too. But it was Christmas Eve, and I'd like to spendsome time with him. We are both rarely at home, as to my busy fashion-designer schedule and his tedious work at the hospital. The Carmel hospital.

Jesse had graduated from Harvard to work as a doctor, and I had designed several dresses for Hollywood actors. Like Keira Knightly (I love Pirates of the Caribbean!). My name and designer clothes are now the innest fashion in town.

I went to a designing school after graduating from the Mission. Jake became a chef, making pizza's and even owning a pizza shop (Jake's Eatery) and Andy became it's top chef. Brad became a wrestler and is hoping to win an Olympic in wrestling. My mom had retired from broadcasting and now became a DJ.

Jake and Gina are now engaged and lived in their own apartment. Brad lives with his other wrestler mates, and that leaves Andy and my mum alone in our old mansion. Jesse and I had saved enough to buy our own house.

CeeCee is now a world-famous journalist. She is a freelance writer too, getting a degree in psychology and having her own newspaper column in _The Carmel Pine Cone_. Adam is a cartoonist for comics and hopes to either write a series of horror books with bad puns or become a CSI Investigator.

David had become a mad scientist (well, not really) and is a computer whiz. Maybe he will win a Nobel prize soon?

Father Dom is going to retire this year, as he is tired now. Tomorrow, Jesse, Jake, Gina, Brad, David, Father Dom, CeeCee, Adam, and me are all going to my mom and Andy's house for Andy's scrumptious turkey. I looked at the spaghetti and thought how amateur it is compared to Andy's famous Spaghetti Bolognese.

Suddenly, my cell phone rang. I jumped and jerked it out.

"Hello? Susannah?" Jesse asked.

"Yes, honey? Are you coming back soon?" I asked.

"Listen, darling… there's urgent business tonight. I have to go help out. Plus I think it's _our _business. Is it OK if I don't come home for dinner? You eat without me, please?"

I took a deep breath. 'Our business' means supernatural

business. It means Jesse's, Father Dom's, Jack's, Paul Slater's, and my business. It means that it concerns paranormal phenomena, aka ghosts.

Yes, the five of us can see ghosts. Problem is, Jesse, Father Dom, Jack, and I are good and helps ghosts. While Paul, Jack's brother, tricks ghosts for his own selfish gain.

"Well, whatever. I'm supposed to pick Gina up tonight at the airport, anyway. At ten. So I won't be bored," I said.

"Susannah. I don't think you understand," Jesse said gently.

"What? You never explained what is going on exactly!" I said.

"Susannah, a plane crashed today."

I blinked. So? OK, maybe plane crashes are bad. But it's not any of my business for anti-ghost parts.

"A plane from New York, Brooklyn."

OK. So it's from my homeland. What's up?

"A plane carrying three hundred passengers…"

Why do I have a sense of foreboding?

""…including Gina. Honey, you won't be going to the airport to pick up Gina tonight—" Jesse soothed.

—because Gina is dead.

As I slid down onto the floor, dropping my cell in the process, I can only think of one thing: Gina, my best friend since I was a toddler, was dead. In a plane crash. Which Jesse is called to help out at. And all I could think of was dinner!


	3. Chapter 3

Two

"Susannah, are you alright?" Jesse asked anxiously through the phone.

I sniffed. "No."  
"Listen, I don't know for sure. I was just in the airport, the luggage belt broke and the luggage all collapsed on this guy and his leg was broken, and then a ghost materialised. He said that he was supposed to come here. That's his destination. I told him that he's dead, and asked him which flight he was from. He said he took the Pam Am airway, from Brooklyn, New York, to Carmel, California. The same plane Gina was in, back from visiting her sick mother.

"I asked him what happened, and he said that they were in the middle of the journey when suddenly the captain shouted for them to wear the oxygen masks. Everyone panicked and start to wear them, but they discovered that at such altitudes the masks don't work. In ten seconds flat, everyone fainted due to lack of oxygen.

"He just said that when he woke up, he could see himself lying down, dead. He freaked out and just wished he's at the airport, and he appeared there. Right now I'm convincing him to leave," Jesse said.

If that's the case, Gina could still be alive. As far a s we know, the plane haven't crashed yet. And there aren't any tall mountains from Brooklyn to Carmel. Is there? The plane could be on autopilot.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a ghost materialising into my living room. I said goodbye to Jesse and looked up. The ghost was a pretty blond woman in her thirties.

"Hello? May I be of service?" I asked.

The ghost started. She looked around wildly. Seeing nobody, she stepped closer to me. "You can…see me?" she asked.

"Yes, and hear you and touch you too," I added.

"Why? What happened? How come only you can see, hear, and touch me, like I'm alive?" she asked.

I sighed. Ghosts. Always those questions. 'Can you see me? Hear me? Touch me?' "You're not alive, you're a ghost. And I can see you 'cause I'm a mediator. It's my job to help ghosts to move on to the eternal afterlife."

"You mean, like _Sixth Sense_, you've got the Gift?" she asked.

"I wouldn't exactly call it a Gift, but yes. Besides me, there are two others in Carmel. My husband, Jesse, and my mentor, Father Dominic," I said. I don't know what happened to Paul, and I don't want to know. He could be burning in hell for all I care. And Jack was in Sydney, or something.

"Help me find my daughter!" she cried. "I was on the plane from

Brooklyn—"  
"Plane from Brooklyn? What's your seat number?" I asked.

"The window seat in Business class. My daughter was beside me. But at the time of the accident, she was in the toilet. When I became a ghost, I couldn't find her. Although I can see many other ghosts," she said.

Well, Gina's in the economy seat. "Did you see any black girl? In stylish clothes and all?" I asked.

"I think I saw a flash of black among the glowing ghosts," she said.

A flash of black? Surely there's some other Blacks other than Gina, right?" "What's your name? And your daughter's? And your close relatives?" I asked.

"I am called Jennifer Warren. My daughter's name is Melinda Warren. My husband's name is Wyatt Warren," she said.

"OK. I can summon ghosts by calling their names," I said.

I concentrated on Melinda Warren. Nothing. "OK," I said, "she's not answering. She had either already moved on to heaven, thinking you're there, or she's still alive," I said. Or another mediator had got her.

Jennifer nodded. "I think I'll go back to my house to look for her spirit. I can only hope she's alive."

"Don't worry. If she's injured, my husband's a doctor and can cure her," I said.

"But he can't bring her back to life," Jennifer said sadly. I bit my lip. We can, but we try not to.

With that, she disappeared. I grabbed my ghost-busting regalia (flashlight, holy bible, brass knuckles, grappling hook) and took off for the airport.

I drove there and found Jesse. "Any luck?" I asked.

Jesse shook his head. "None came to me yet. But the guy with the broken leg was OK. I'm going to the toilet. Look out for me, won't you?"

I nodded and waited. Just then, a ghost wearing a pilot's uniform, materialised. He agitatedly shouted for people to listen, but nobody saw him. Some even walked through him.

I walked up to him. "May I be of service?"

He looked at me happily. "Finally! Somebody who can see me. I have to tell you something. I flicked the plane on autopilot. It landed on the Big Sur."


	4. Chapter 4

Three

I hurriedly drove back from the airport to the Big Sur. The half-hour drive, combined with the traffic, made me want to scream. And tonight was the Senior Prom, so the area was specifically congested. David was graduating from university tonight.

I leapt off my seat and looked over the railing separating the cars from the cliff. A plane was about halfway down, nearly touching the water. Smoke rise from it and there were sparks of flame.

I phoned the ambulance and the police. Then I sat down and waited. After ten minutes they came.

A detective-investigator wanted to question me. "How do you know about this crush? You can't see it while driving around. Who would actually lean over the railing at the Big Sur?" he asked.

"Um…" What should I say? Say that I was supposed to bring Gina home from the airport, but she didn't arrive on time? It's only nine now. Gina's flight is just supposed to land. Or open up and confess I'm a mediator? I would get locked up for my life.

"_Hey, officer, my boyfriend told me a ghost told him the plane crashed. Then a ghost told me the plane crashed on Big Sur. Wait—what'cha doing with that straitjacket!?" _

"Be honest. Do you have a special ability, a gift? Like Lightning Girl Jessica Mastriani ten years ago? Are you a psychic?" the guy probed.

"No, sir. Psychics see the future," I said. Or in Jessica's case, knows where missing people are.

"And you see…?" he pressed.

"The dead, sir. I'm a mediator." What the heck! I wanted to stuff that part back into my mouth! But it's too late. I could just envision myself being locked inside a ward in the mental hospital.

Instead the officer just nodded. "Interesting. We have people all around the world coming up with unique abilities like yourself."

"Actually, there's some people who can see ghosts too. Our job is to help them move on to their afterlife, grant their request," I said.

"Like housebreaking to find some relic that's stolen from them?" the officer asked, eyeing my record.

I blushed. "Most of us are good, but one guy is bad. That explains why he's rich and famous now, and why there are so many unexplained deaths in California."

"Who's the guy?" he asked.

"It's not my duty to tell you who," I said.

"Any other abilities?" he asked.

"The mediator's abilities include communication with the dead

and teleportation between their world and our own, and the ability to travel at will through time," I said.

"And…?" the officer prodded.

Aaaaaaargh! I was reminded of my weekly mediating lesson with Paul. "Enough! There are survivors out there in the crash, and all you want me to do is to give you lessons on mediating?" I shouted.

The man looked taken aback. "Sorry, Mrs. de Silva. It's just that we wanted to know everything beforehand—"

"Go. Save the victims. Before they die." I pointed and said coldly. The guy looked affronted and moved away.

"Susannah! What is going on here? You didn't leave a message, and I had no idea where you went!" Jesse cried, shoving people away to come to my side. "What's going on here?"

I merely pointed to the blue tape surrounding the crashed area. "The plane. It landed here."

Jesse nodded. "Did Gina appear?"

I shook my head. Then I started crying. Jesse pulled me close to him. "Shush. Everything's alright."

My way of answering is to roll my eyes, but who knew my eyeballs could roll so back that I…well, fainted?


	5. Chapter 5

Four

"Susannah? Susannah!" I heard someone call my name. I groaned and rolled over. "Just five more minutes, mom."

"Susannah, it's me. Jesse," Jesse shook my shoulder.

I suddenly remembered that I was married. And what had happened yesterday. "Oh my gosh. What happened yesterday?" I asked Jesse.

"Once you fainted, I brought you home. They let me 'cause I'm a doctor. Then some more ghosts show up. No Gina. But Jake has called twice. He said he's coming ten minutes later," Jesse said.

I got up and set to make myself look presentable. I wouldn't want ghosts to see what an unglamorous mediator I am. Hey, I'm a _fashion designer_, and Jesse's a doctor, yet why does he always look so good in the morning?

Ding! Dong! The doorbell rang. Jesse pulled it open. Jake came rushing in. "Suze! What the heck was that about?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"The…psychic thing! It's shown on every cable news programme! 'Plane crash on the Big Sur—Mediator saw its ghosts'. Mrs. Susannah de Silva has been a mediator since the age of two. She sees ghosts on a regular basis and helps them move on to the afterlife. That's freaky, you know! Are you serious?" Jake cried.

I nodded. "More than a few people have this gift, Jake. Me, Jesse, and even Father Dom. And Paul Slater and his brother."

"But…but…" Jake stammered. He looked at me as though I'm crazy.

"I saw your mom, Jake. Ten years ago. She asked me to tell David what happened to her was not his fault," I said.

Jake took a deep breath. "OK, I believe you. Who knows about this?"

"Gina, David, and CeeCee," I said.

"Gina… Suze, did you see her? Is she dead or alive?" I looked at Jesse.

Jesse shook his head. "So far they have found six living people. None of them is Gina."

Jake fell back onto the couch. "Gina…"

The phone rang. I picked it up. "Susannah! You told…? Are you alright? There are some unseen forces at work, be careful…" It's Father Dom.

"Um…I'm OK." Beep. "Father Dominic, the call waiting just went off. Talk to you later." "Hello?"

"Susie! What's going on? Andy and I were just settling down to

supper when suddenly the telecaster talked about 'plane crash on the Big Sur'…it's Gina's plane! And then suddenly it showed pictures of you, and said you can see ghosts, and that's how you knew where the plane crashed, the ghosts told you…Why didn't you tell me about this?" My mom asked frantically.

"Mom, I was scared that you would take me to a psychologist, or lock me up in a mental ward. Another mediator was labelled a 'crazy gork' when he tried to tell the world what he is." I was referring to the late Dr. Slaski.

"Oh… Suze, I just want you to know…Andy and I will always be behind you. We believe you," My mom said.

"Thanks, mom. By the way, Dad is happily in heaven. The last thing he told me is to take care of you and myself. So, mom, take care of yourself. I'll be fine. I've survived ghost-busting before," I said.

"So…that's why you got the brass knuckles…" my mom gave an embarrassed laugh. "Oh, if only I'd known. I wouldn't confiscate it if I know that's for self-protection."

Beep! I turned and saw Jesse pointing at a teenage girl who gave off a ghostly aura. She was busy texting her friend, then giving a shout of frustration when the text isn't sending off. Then she turned and saw Jesse and me staring at her.

"What? Who the hell are you two, anyway? I was just texting my friend in the plane when suddenly I woke up here. What's going on?" she demanded.

I sighed, said good-bye to my mom, and began to begin on the 'you're-dead-and-I'm-so-sorry-what's-holding-you-back-I'll-help-you-move-on" speech. One ghost down, three hundred more to go.


	6. Chapter 6

Five

"What do you mean, I'm dead? I don't feel dead. You can see me, anyway," here we go again. It's always along these lines. What did God do, create every soul the same when they died?

I opted for letting the ghost see the news report. About the crash, and about how I can see ghosts, and all that. After a while she was silent. Then she burst into tears.

"I'm…dead? No! I was going to come to Carmel for Christmas! Visit my boyfriend who's in college here! I was so excited! We were planning to…to… And now I'm dead! I can't ever do it again! I'm only sixteen!" she wept furiously. What do I do, wrap my arms around her? A teenage delinquent? Uh, no.

"So you've got to move on. To, uh, heaven or the afterlife." I didn't mention that she wasn't likely angelic, based on the tattoos, earholes, and Gothic clothing.

"But I DON'T WANT TO MOVE ON! I WANT TO STAY HERE!" she shouted.

"It's natural for you to be angry for a while, but eventually you have to move on. You've got your chance to live your life to the fullest, and do what you want. Now you just have to accept things as they are," I said. I was trying to keep my frustration in control. Like how Father Dominic do when he's talking to ghosts. Patient and understanding. Right, Suze. Breathe in. And out.

"But it's NOT FAIR! I'm only sixteen!" she hollered.

"Life's never fair. It's your," I quoted, "destiny or fate or karma or whatever." Or retribution.

"Things don't have to be like this. _He _said I can stay here!" the ghost argued back.

"Who said you could stay here?" I asked.

"I was sleeping in the plane. I dreamt that I saw a guy wearing a mask telling us that when we died we could stay here, just as long as we do what he said," the girl said. "I don't know his name. We just know him as 'the dark-shifter'."

The dark-shifter. I immediately thought back a decade ago…

_Paul's hand pinning my fingers to a page… a paragraph that he asked me to read… "If the 1924 translation is to be believed, the shifter's abilities didn't merely include communication with the dead and teleportation between their world and our own, but the ability to travel at will throughout the fourth dimension as well."_

"Susannah, hello? Earth to Susie," Jesse snapped his fingers in my face. I jerked back.

"What the heck's going on?" the girl asked.

Is Paul going to go back in time to stop their death? I don't think so. So no fourth dimension travelling. How about teleportation between their world and our own? Is Paul going to create a legion of ghosts bent on destructing the world as we know it, based on their hatred towards the living, laying waste to our region? An undead army that have the power of materialisation and telekinesis, killing people. What's worse is you can't even _see _them. And only a few of us can destroy them.

"It's Paul. He plans on recruiting ghosts to help him rule the world. We need to stop him," I whispered to Jesse.

"Paul…as in, the shifter Slater?" Jesse asked.

I nodded. "What's your name?" I asked the girl.

"I thought you'd never ask. Lily O'Farrell. From San Francisco," the girl plucked her bangs away from her lipglossy mouth.

"OK, Lily. Can you do me a favour? Give me a description of the people who sat near you on the plane. I need to summon them here." I said.

It's me. Paul is doing this because of me. Because once Jesse is gone, I'll be alone. But he doesn't know Jesse's a mediator too. Well, not yet. So it's "Light-bringer VS Dark-shifter".


	7. Chapter 7

Six

"Lily, you said that you can draw their portraits, right?" I asked in exasperation. After hearing our request, Lily had offered to draw us a description of the people sitting near her. Now all she'd done was their caricatures, people with big heads and tiny bodies and exaggerated expressions.

"Look, I only know how to draw cartoons, OK?" Lily protested. "I was planning to be a world-famous cartoonist. I _know _how they look like—"

"—but you just don't know how to draw _people. _Only cartoons," I finished.

"Susannah." Jesse gave me a look that said 'be easy on her'.

I sighed. Paul might be gathering his ghost army just as we speak.

"Really, they're not bad. You could, uh, _picture_ them. Or maybe ask someone for help? I heard that some psychics could summon ghosts without having to see them," Jesse said.

I sat up straight. Aunt Pru! She had summoned the ghost of Mrs. Deirdre Fiske ten years ago. She could do it now! I flipped through the phonebook under Walden, Prudence and Carl. Yep, it was serious that time in the Winter Former.

"Hello?" an elderly lady's voice answered the phone.

"Um, hi. I'm Susannah Simon, CeeCee's friend. I've been to your house ten years ago, and you helped me summon a spirit. Now I was wondering…if you could do it again?" I gushed.

"Susannah Simon…as in, the one the news report just said? Dear, no wonder I thought I recognized that name. Of course I'll help you. It's an honour to see mediators," Aunt Pru said.

"So…when can I come to your house?" I asked.

"Oh, right now, right now. Carl is out with 'the boys'. Here's my address." I took down her address, which is near the Junipero Serra Mission Academy. I hung up the phone and got to go.

"Jesse, I'll be over at Aunt Pru's house for the next couple of hours. Take care of her, OK?" I whispered to Jesse, looking pointedly at Lily, who was doodling on some paper. Jesse nodded and I kissed him goodbye. Then I went to the garage and drove away.

My car was sleek and black, a Porsche. Jesse's was a silver Rolls Royce (they reminded him of the Rolling Stones, his favourite band). And I began to drive along the two-mile coastway, feeling the sea breeze.

The sun was just rising when I went around the bend. Suddenly, fog covered the road ahead. I switched on my front light and drove

slowly, carefully. Now I'm not sure about you, but in reality, ghosts can appear in sunlight. They just prefer the night and fog much better.

Suddenly a woman in white appeared in front of me. I slammed the brakes, and my car went through her. She reappeared in my passenger seat.

She looked mad. "Don't. Go. To. The. Psychic's. House. You're biting off more than you can chew, Mediator."  
"Sorry, lady, but I think _you're _tackling more than you can bite. I've been a mediator for more than twenty years. While you, woman in white, have only been one for what, twenty hours? You won't have the power," I said.

Her eyes flashed, whether at the 'woman in white' remark or the bite one, I'm not sure. "Try me," she snarled, and lunged at the wheel and swerved it towards the metal railings, intending to force it over the cliff.

This was like Heather and Bryce all over again. But this time, I knew what I can do. I grabbed her before she can materialise again, and shifted her to the dreaded corridor. Her last scream died away and I sat, breathing hard, on the edge of the cliff. The metal railings were hanging on their hinges.

I took a shaky breath. Then, without warning, my car slipped over the edges. I tried desperately to brake it, but it was to no avail. And then I fell towards the roaring, big, ocean.


	8. Chapter 8

Seven

I shut my eyes as I thought of the inevitable crash that would follow. What should I do? Shift? With what? I was holding onto the steering wheel. How would that take me back?

And then suddenly, the rushing of air around me stopped. I opened my eyes and glanced out the window. My car was hanging in the middle of the air, like someone was holding it still. Whew. Maybe a miracle?

And then the car slipped a bit. And a bit. And stop. And then bit by bit my car was lifted upward onto the road. I turned around and couldn't believe my sight: Lily O'Farrell was using her telekinetic powers holding me up in the air. She'd saved my life!

"Susannah!" I got out of my car and saw Jesse running toward me from his Rolls-Royce. "That wasn't an accident. Someone is out to kill you."

Oh, like it didn't happen before. With Heather, Marcus Beaumont, the RLS Angels, Felix Diego, Maria de Silva, and the other countless ghosts I've fought for in the past ten years.

"Yes, me." We all turned around, and saw a horrifying sight: a guy wearing a huge trench coat with a big hat and sunglasses had just sucked Lily's soul and shifted her into the Void. "The Dark-Shifter. Also known as…" he lifted his sunglasses. "Paul Slater.

"What the…" I should have known he'll be involved in my 'accident'. But why would he want me dead? How'd he push my car off the road? Is he like, Magneto in X-Men? Can move metals?

"I've become a hybrid in the past ten years, Susie," Paul said, pacing around. "Being a ghost offers me much more advantage. Now I have the powers of materialisation and telekinesis, accumulated to my time-travelling and world-visitation. Plus people could see me. I can rule the world! Alas, I can still be killed, as I have a body. But I've got no soul, I sold it to the devil. So I need help from my fellow ghosts. But then you came into the picture, Simon. My ex-lover who chose _that _over me. So now it's my revenge."

With that, he launched my car at Jesse and me. "Duck!" Jesse yelled, and pulled me along. running. It's sorta like _The Mummy_. You know, the mummy chasing Evelyn in heels and Rick, and hurling sandstorms at them. And swallowing them with sand.

Except that Paul was now hurling something weighing a hundred times more than the weight of Jesse and me combined. Metal, no less. And we couldn't run. Paul just stood there smirking, and using his concentration to stop us.

"After I've got you, I'll take care of that priest and my idiotic

brother," Paul said. "And then I'll bring forward my plan."

"What, do you think they want to work for you? You'd probably just threaten to shift them if they don't. And don't forget, they could kill you in your sleep," I shouted, hair sticking to my lip gloss. Why didn't I tie a ponytail instead?

"I don't need to sleep. I'm just like a ghost, except everyone can see me and I can be killed. But I _won't _be. With my enhanced powers, I will create a super race of humans and ghosts combined. Hybrids rules!" Paul shouted back.

Ouch! I tripped over a stone and fell to the floor. The car was coming nearer.

"Susannah!" Jesse turned back.

"Don't, Jesse! Just run! Don't care about me!" I shouted back.

"But—"

"Go!" I said just as the car crashed against me. I saw Paul looking uncertain, and the car halted in its tracks. I could tell he had expected Jesse to die for me, and then he'd have me where he wanted. Truth was, he still wanted me very much.

Then he gave a roar of frustration, and moved to car to hit Jesse. Jesse ran, but I moved in front of him. The car stopped again.

"Susannah, what are you doing?" Jesse asked. I ignored him.

"Paul," I said. "If you want to kill Jesse, you have to kill me first. Am I'm not letting you kill him."

Paul gave a laugh. "How will you stop me?" he asked. He waved his hand and I was thrown away from him onto the asphalt road. Then he moved the car toward Jesse again.

"STOP, PAUL!" I shouted. It's not working. Does Paul _really _want me dead? Or did he want to see me looking helpless while I watched Jesse die, and then slowly kill me later? It's possible though. Paul's sadistic. "I'll to anything! Anything you want. Just as long as you let the ghosts go free. And spare Jesse and Jack."

"Susannah, don't!" Jesse shouted.

"Anything I want?" Paul gave a laugh. "Then I want you soul, Suze. Your pure, uncorrupted soul. I want to suck your soul out, and then keep it to gain more power. Then you will be like me, and will live ever after with me. I will rule the world, and you, Susannah, will be my queen. Will you do it?" he asked, lifting me right in front of him.

"Yes." I looked deep inside his never-ending, liveless blue eyes. Then I gazed into Jesse's eyes. His hazel eyes clouded with sadness and determination. Then he charged toward Paul.

Paul turned, and was going to hurl the car toward him, when suddenly I took his faced and kissed him deeply. Paul, surprised, kissed me back and forgot about Jesse. I looked at Jesse sideways. I knew he knew what I was doing. Just like in _The Mummy_, when Evelyn

kissed the mummy to distract his attention from Rick. I had kissed Paul to let Jesse escape, and maybe find a way to stop Paul. Then Jesse turned around, and fled into the sunrise.


	9. Chapter 9

Eight

I ran away in the direction of my car and hid behind my door. Paul had dematerialised after kissing. I ran over to Jesse and we went back into my car and began to drive to Aunt Pru's home.

I really feel bad for Lily. When this is over, I'll go Up There and ask her if she want to stay there. If she haven't suddenly felt the Dark-Shifter's presence and gone to check on me, she'd have died. And now she sacrificed for us.

I drove into the Walden's garage, parked, and rang the doorbell. And elderly woman in her early fifties opened the door. "Yes?" she asked, confused. I guess she thought only I would be visiting her, not with a guy.

"I'm Jesse, Susannah's husband. Something's came up. Can we talk inside?" Jesse asked. Aunt Pru nodded and led me inside the living room. We sat down and I told her all that's happened on the drive over. Then I showed her the caricatures Lily had drawn and asked her if she could summon any of them.

"Well, if the drawing had captured the person's essence, I can," Aimt Pru said.

"Uh, essence?" I asked.

"Like, if the person is kind, and is drawn with a benevolent look, that means the essence is captured. The expressions are good, so maybe we have the essence," Aunt Prun explained.

Oh. Aunt Pru took out her tarot cards and began to lay them on the table. Then she began to whisper and chant. The table began shaking. Wisps of smoke turned into a solid figure of a ghost.

"Are you Juliana Smith?" I asked a pretty woman of forty. The woman sniffed.

"Yes. I died in that plane crash. There's this half ghost hybrid who said that we don't need to leave. He said we could live here. Well, I want to stay here with my daughter. And we can, as long as we do what he says. Now what do you meddling mediators want?" she asked.

"I'm Susannah, he's Jesse. Paul is the evil hybrid. He is amassing a ghost army to take over the world. He's just using you. Can you please tell everyone to leave in peace; heaven's really nice and all, and leave Paul?" I asked.

Juliana snorted. "Easy for you to say, mortal. You're not the one who's dead. I'll make a deal with ya. If you manage to find my son, Daniel, and if he's not dead but living, I'll rest in peace. If he's dead, well, at least we can go together. How about that?"

"Sure, that'll be fine." I knew I had to find her son if she was going to help my persuade any other ghosts. "Nice meeting ya, buh-

bye." Then Juliana vanished.

Aunt Pru was shaking. "I can't believe you're so…so _casual_ to a ghost!" she said.

Oh, puh-lease. Ghosts are my old friends. "Thanks for your help, Aunt Pru. If we find any leads, we'll come over. Take care." With that, Jesse and I went to drive back home.

"So, Susannah, as if we don't have enough on our hands, we've got to find Gina, find Daniel, and then try to stop the ghosts joining him, while running away from Paul Slater, who wants to make you into a ghost-hybrid. How're we going to do that?" Jesse asked.

"Easy: we'll split. You're tasked with finding Daniel and convincing the ghosts to move on (don't argue, Jesse, you know you're a good orator, man, all the female ghosts listen to you!), while I try to find Gina and will probably stop Paul on my own. Trust me, I am no pushover," I said.

"OK, honey. Take care. If there's anything else I can do for you, just say it," Jesse said, reaching over to kiss me.

I kissed him back and grinned devilishly. "Yes, actually, you can buy me a Suzuki for starters. My Porsche is wacked-out from Paul's telekinetic dodgeball."

Jesse sighed. "Susannah…"

I stuck out my tongue. "But you said anything I want…"


	10. Chapter 10

Nine

I was taking a walk around the park near Gina's apartment while Jesse is at the crash site to find Melinda. I was hoping to find her soon. She would know what to say to comfort me. I mean, Paul wanted me to be his Queen of Hell. But I won't do it if I can't win.

Then, suddenly, I saw a familiar tanned girl's figure with bright orange hair. Gina's shade. I rushed up to her. "Gi…Gina?" I asked shakily.

The girl looked up. "Suze! Oh, Suze, you won't know what has happened to me. I dreamt that I died! And this guy wanted me to kill humans for me to stay here. And then I woke up here, and I can't find Jake, and has being sitting here for days. I've got to hand Jake his present! What's going on?"

Passengers were staring at me, like, what is she doing, hugging the air? I sat down and took a deep breath. Just before I was going to open my mouth, Jake came hurrying by.

"Jake!" Gina got up to hug him. But Jake just walked right past her. "Suze, Jesse called and told me what's going on. You'd better get going."

Gina looked horrified and backed away. "I'm…dead?" she whispered.

"Gina…I'm so sorry." Now I was crying too.

"Gina?" Jake looked around wildly. "Oh my gawd, Gina…please don't tell me she's a ghost, Suze!"

I shook my head, my eyes burning with tears. Gina took out a small package wrapped in red wrapper. "For Jake, my lover, who will always be in my heart."

I took it and handed it to Jake. "Gina sents you her love. Oh, Jake, I…"

Jake looked sad. He cried and moaned Gina's name. Gina was crying too.

All of a sudden, all the crickets stopped shrieking and the owl flew away. A wind blew the smell of trouble towards me. My thumbs prickled. 'By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes'. Now I know what Shakespeare meant.

Paul materialised beside Gina. He patted her on the shoulder. My dear lady, don't be so upset. You can stay here with Jake, if that's what you want. Just join my army, and you can stay."

I gaped in horror. "No, Gina!" I shouted.

"Tsk tsk, Suze. Your friend's lost her life. You want her to lose the man she loved, too?" Paul snapped his hand and other ghosts appeared. Ghosts that apparently joined his army. Juliana is among

them.

"Juliana! Why?" I asked.

"Well, you couldn't find my daughter. I was alone, and Paul was there for me," Juliana said defiantly.

"Jesse is trying now? Will you leave if he finds your daughter?" I demanded. Juliana's resolve weakened.

"I—" Suddenly, headlights break the darkness around us. I turned to see Jesse walking towards us, holding a small girl's hand. Juliana shrieked and flew to the girl.

"Mel! You're alive!" Tears streaming, Juliana smiled tearfully at Jesse. "Thank you so much. I don't know how I can—"

"Juliana, stop complaining and get back on the team," Paul ordered. Juliana ignored him.

"Now that my daughter is safe, I will be able to move on now," she said. Paul scowled.

"Well, you never know what may happen if you were gone, Mrs. Warren. What if an, _accident_, happened? One that you can stop if you were here," Paul hinted nastily. Juliana turned pale.

"Ohmygawd. That's blackmail!" she shrieked.

Paul shrugged. "Get her, boys!" The ghosts started lumbering toward Melinda. Juliana went to protect her.

"NO! Stop! See, he doesn't care about you at all. What if one day your family died and went to heaven, and you're still here? And what if you wanted to join them up there, but he won't let you? He'll destroy you like he's going to destroy Juliana! He doesn't care if you wanted to move on or not. He only wants to rule the world. And you'll be his slaves. I don't know about you, but I have dignity, and won't do anybody's dirty work. You don't need Paul to stay behind. You only go when there is peace in your heart. So, please, abandon him. He'll bring you to eternal hell!" I cried.

Paul laughed. "How do you know they'll go to heaven, Simon? You ever went into the light before?" he asked, referring to the light in the corridor. "Maybe they'll stay because they don't want to go to hell?"

"Look, I'm not a fanatic or whatever, but I have seen several ghosts moving on peacefully. They're all relaxed and at ease, and they were growing with happiness. Because they can be with their creator, and is at peace with themselves. No more bottled up feelings of hatred and bitterness. Don't you want to feel what it's like to be really peaceful and happy?" I begged.

Some of the ghosts were wavering. They began to shuffle away from Paul.

"Stop it! Come back! If you don't, I'll destroy you!" Paul threatened. A little girl cried and soon there was mass hysteria. Ghosts

grabbed at Paul, while he tried to suck off their soul. But he can only do that one by one. After a few minutes, while he was in the corridor, a ghost killed his body. His soul was left in the void, and he cannot come back again.

Juliana, Gina, and the other ghosts all thanked us before fading away to their utopian heaven or whatever. Jake gave a prayer as he saw moonlight shining down on us. With a final glow, they were gone.

"It's beautiful," Jesse said. I hugged him.

"How did you find Melinda?" I asked. Jesse shrugged.

"I was walking around when I heard a moan. I called the others over, and we dug Melinda up. She had to survive on tap water for days! And she survived because the toilet had an opening through the sewers."

I wrinkled up my nose. Erk. Sewers. "You know what, I'm thirsty after all that dictating," I said.

Jesse laughed. "You make a great Vice-president, Susannah. Let's go."  
Jesse and I walked off for a moonlight stroll, leaving Jake kneeling by the bench. The night was lovely, and you can feel the love that is in the air.


End file.
